[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by TheBeastFieast

Any update hows the bypass road now. I am planning for coming Saturday.

I heard that it is in good condition now.

[TheBeastFieast]

Update: bypass is in excellent condition. It has separate roads for incoming and outgoing traffic. There are 4 railway crossings, only the last from Delhi side (first from Gwalior side) takes time. But the railway person is very strict and all have to follow the queue.

A flyover is in construction to avoid this crossing, I guess it will take another year.

[New.Novice]

Cool.. this thread saw a lot of action after I last saw it. Like reported by many other, this bypass is fully operational and I have taken it many a times after that. In fact, have discovered one more which you can take just after crossing Agra Cantt (right at the mouth of MG Road) when you are coming from Gwalior side. After some initial zig-zag it opens upto a narrow but beautiful road with fields on both sides and many housing projects coming up. It had boards reading "Delhi Bypass" till some time ago, but for some reason authorities have taken them off when I looked for it last time.

With that, a question now. I am visiting my brother again next week and when I was just about to confirm my plans to my brother, this news article caught my eyes. Do people in/around Agra/Gwalior can confirm how bad it is to take a road journey between Agra and Gwalior these days? I will leave on Monday next week after office and should hit this stretch somewhere around 10 in the night, as usual. Are floods really bad in dhaulpur/Morena chambal river beds? And are the vehicles queuing up? Specially on chambal bridge right after dhaulpur.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...w/21775051.cms

[ampere]

Originally Posted by New.Novice

Cool.. this thread saw a lot of action after I last saw it. Like reported by many other, this bypass is fully operational and I have taken it many a times after that. In fact, have discovered one more which you can take just after crossing Agra Cantt (right at the mouth of MG Road) when you are coming from Gwalior side.

The bypass may be functional, but now that the express-way is up, many take that option and this bypass utility diminishes a bit. Of course for using NH2 its still good. Esp, Nh2 between Sikandra-Bhagwan Theater fly-over to Water works is packed with trucks.

[New.Novice]

Originally Posted by ampere

The bypass may be functional, but now that the express-way is up, many take that option and this bypass utility diminishes a bit. Of course for using NH2 its still good. Esp, Nh2 between Sikandra-Bhagwan Theater fly-over to Water works is packed with trucks.

I am not entirely sure of that. The reason is, expressway is good for people who are going upto Agra or beyond towards Kanpur. The entire traffic towards Gwalior, this bypass still makes a lot of sense. And trust me, I am yet to see diminishing traffic even many months after the opening of Expressway. Though, I had hoped that this will be case. For Gurgaon folks, it doesn't make sense to go to greater noida and take the express way for Agra, as it is much easier and time saving to hit Sohna, Palwal and be in Agra in no time.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by New.Novice

I am not entirely sure of that. The reason is, expressway is good for people who are going upto Agra or beyond towards Kanpur. The entire traffic towards Gwalior, this bypass still makes a lot of sense. And trust me, I am yet to see diminishing traffic even many months after the opening of Expressway. Though, I had hoped that this will be case. For Gurgaon folks, it doesn't make sense to go to greater noida and take the express way for Agra, as it is much easier and time saving to hit Sohna, Palwal and be in Agra in no time.

+1. Looks like thanks to the fear of crossing Agra, many still prefer NH2 instead of e-way and would like to take this option. Wading through traffic in Agra is now big-big pain.

[black_rider]

I always tried to cross Agra and be on Gwalior road before 8 AM

Back to topic, heard that Chambal is flowing close to the bridge level. Traffic is also stopped. It was in some Agra newspapers. I'd suggest confirm this piece of news and then start with your journey.

[New.Novice]

Originally Posted by black_rider

I always tried to cross Agra and be on Gwalior road before 8 AM

Back to topic, heard that Chambal is flowing close to the bridge level. Traffic is also stopped. It was in some Agra newspapers. I'd suggest confirm this piece of news and then start with your journey.

Yes black_rider, spoke to my brother who is posted at maharajpur airforce base these days. The news is grim, the chambal river which I have never seen anywhere less than 50 feet down the bridge is almost flowing over the bridge these days. They say some reservoir in Kota has released excess water. Looked online and managed to see a pic myself from the Agra edition of Dainik Jagran. There are many ,miles long jams on both sides of the river now as police is stopping vehicles at various towns.

Hope the water recedes in a weeks' time and I will be able to drive through. However, as a backup plan I have got some reservations done in trains too. Though, I am not entirely sure if the drive between Agra and Gwalior would be worth it now given the beating this region is taking. Should I just stick to train this time is a thought which is increasingly getting over whelming.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by New.Novice

They say some reservoir in Kota has released excess water. Looked online and managed to see a pic myself from the Agra edition of Dainik Jagran.

Then that should be the Kota Barrage. There are 2-3 dams in that region on Chambal. Rana Pratap Sagar, Jawahar Sagar, Gandhi Sagar and Kota Barrage.

I had heard that areas around Rana Pratap Sagar had received a deluge.

[Traveller Nayak]

Team, I am leaving for Bhopal on 25th at 3 pm from Gurgaon. I am halting at Gwalior for the night. Plan is as below.

25th: Gurgaon – Gwalior

26th: Gwalior – Jhansi – Orchha – Bhopal

27th: Bhopal

28th: Bhopal – Delhi

Last I did Delhi - Gwalior was very early morning sometime in early 2004. I remember having reached Agra by 6 am or so and then having got stuck within Agra trying to find a way out towards Gwalior.

Question:

1. For 25th - considering I am leaving at 3 pm from Gurgaon, what works best to reach Gwalior?

Should I take Faridabad - Palwal route or should I hit the Expressway and then enter Agra?

Vehicle: Fortuner

Assuming that the Bypass traffic is not as dreadful now as it was sounding about 18 months ago – what makes more sense Faridabad – Palwal or Expressway?

2. Assuming I reach Agra 6 pm – 6.30 pm what is the best way to navigate through Agra? Bypass? Or, considering it would be peak hours at Agra – should I simply surrender to fate!

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Traveller Nayak

Team, I am leaving for Bhopal on 25th at 3 pm from Gurgaon. I am halting at Gwalior for the night. Plan is as below.

Some how not very comfortable with a late start and that too to be on Agra-Gwalior road late in the evening including crossing Agra. I would advice a morning start. Crossing Agra is pain in itself.

Will wait for others to comment too.

[ApriliaNut]

Originally Posted by Traveller Nayak

Team, I am leaving for Bhopal on 25th at 3 pm from Gurgaon.

1. For 25th - considering I am leaving at 3 pm from Gurgaon, what works best to reach Gwalior?
Should I take Faridabad - Palwal route or should I hit the Expressway and then enter Agra?

I do not know about Faridabad-Palwal, but based on my first-hand experience in January, Palwal-Mathura is either mostly open/patched potholed or under road widening construction. Mathura-Agra road is in good/decent condition. I would suggest to take the expressway. Exit at Mathura and take Gokul Barrage road to join NH2.

2. Assuming I reach Agra 6 pm – 6.30 pm what is the best way to navigate through Agra? Bypass? Or, considering it would be peak hours at Agra – should I simply surrender to fate!

In January, on my way to Bhopal, I took Agra bypass. At Runkata, I took the road marked as 'outer ring road' on google maps. On the map, it is shown as disconnected/broken, but it is not. And the road is in good condition as well. It took me less than half hour to reach AB road. It was at 12 noon and there was no traffic. There are two railway crossings that are on single track lines with little train traffic. The two main rail lines (Mathura - Kota & Mathura - Agra) have flyovers on them. You can take your chance with this road.

BTW, a new expressway style Agra bypass is under construction, that leaves NH2 at Kitham and joins AB road at Bhandai. Not sure when it will be operational.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ApriliaNut

BTW, a new expressway style Agra bypass is under construction, that leaves NH2 at Kitham and joins AB road at Bhandai. Not sure when it will be operational.

This is a great update. Is it the outer ring road as marked in Google? But unfortunately the only negative is one still needs to take the GQ instead of the expressway to reach Agra. Or exit the expressway and come down to GQ. Expressway bypass via Kitham seems a good idea. Any signs of early completion?

PS: I hope the lake at Kitham still survives!

[sudev]

Early this month used palwal expressway connect. Road under construction from palwal to yamuna bridge. Avoid.
Gurgaon Sohna Palwal Mathura Agra is better bet. If it was early morning one could use Gurgaon Noida expressway to Agra

[ApriliaNut]

Originally Posted by ampere

This is a great update. Is it the outer ring road as marked in Google? But unfortunately the only negative is one still needs to take the GQ instead of the expressway to reach Agra. Or exit the expressway and come down to GQ. Expressway bypass via Kitham seems a good idea. Any signs of early completion?

PS: I hope the lake at Kitham still survives!

Yes, that's the road. For now that seems to be the only good option to bypass Agra. By taking the expressway all the way to Agra, you have to pass through the city to go towards Gwalior.

No ETA on when the bypass will be operational, but from what I saw, most of the work is complete. Hopefully it should be within the year. It looks like the bypass will extend beyond Bhandai and will join the Yamuna expressway/Agra-Lucknow expressway, essentially forming a 3/4 ring around Agra. Google maps Satellite view shows that work has already started. Once completed, it will be perfect to quickly bypass Agra & join AB road towards Gwalior. Hope it is completed quickly in a year or two.

As of now, Kitham lake is safe as it falls in the remaining 1/4th ring area. But even if they start the construction to complete the ring, the road is lined in such a way that it will bypass Kitham preserve.